“If It’s Advice You Seek”

(49)

“If It’s Advice You Seek”

We’re collecting internet followers,

My zen and I.

I’m flattered but,

If I have followers

Does it mean 

That I must lead?

You cannot control all the events of your life.

Hardly any of them, really.

So try not 

To let things 

Get you down.

Be kind to yourself and others.

Don’t eat quite so much.

Think positive thoughts.

And keep your sense of humor

Turned all the way up!

I suppose that’s what I would advise you,

If it’s advice you seek

(And I were the sort of person 

Who gave advice).

Oh! 

One more thing, please,

Seeing as I’m giving advice now…

There’s something important I’ve learned 

Through hard experience

That I’d like to pass on;

(Because I love you!)

Whatever it is

You want to do in this life…

Do it now!

(50)

“Internet Zen”

Oh wonders of the internet!

Some of them that seek guidance via the digital domain

(And there seem to be plenty of them),

Come to me.

From half a world away

They seek my knowledge of zen.

Of which don’t tell anyone I have none.

I just do what I believe to be right.

And let my zen 

Do the rest.

I’m flattered by it,

This internet attention.

As if I know something big.

Like I’ve figured it out.

Like I was wise 

Or something.

But that’s a lot of baloney.

I’m just as dumb as you are.

Or, if you prefer,

Just as smart as you are.

If it makes you feel any better.

Listen to me, internet users who seek a way!

Turn off your computer.

Go outside and get a breath of fresh air.

Take a walk.

Feel the sun on your face.

Find a garden.

(Or some other zen-place.)

Empty your mind.

And search within yourself.

It is there.

All the zen you need.

Forever and ever.

(53)

“Zen For Breakfast”

(First Published on Rusty’s Blog, Oct 2, 2015

Completely rewritten Jan, 2016.)

And now… 

For that very zen-like 

Of questions…

Which came first?

The chicken or the egg?

Or should I say,

Just to be fair to all concerned,

Which came first,

The egg or the chicken?

So I asked my zen about it.

Which is what I do

When I need some wisdom,

About 10,000 times a day.

“Forget it!” replied my zen.

“Don’t waste your time thinking about it.

Both answers are correct.”

Both answers are correct.

That’s zen for you.

"Two Zen Tuesday"

(34)

“Trust Your Zen”

(Published previously on Rusty’s Blog, Aug 28, 2015. 

Extensively reedited.)

“Trust yourself,” my zen said to me.

“Huh?” I answered.

(For I don’t always catch

What my zen says

The first time around.)

“Trust yourself,” my zen repeated.

“Everything you need 

Is right inside you

This very minute.”

“Everything?” I answered. 

“That sounds like a lot.

Are you sure?”

(You see, I was afraid of trusting 

Just myself alone.

For whom would I blame

If I failed?)

“Trust yourself,” 

My zen repeated

With some exasperation.

“I’d rather trust you,” 

I answered.

“Same thing, dummy,” 

Replied my zen.

(35A)

“Zen and Anger and the Lost Wristwatch” 

I remember my first wristwatch.

It was given to me by my father

For doing well in school.

I was probably eight or nine.

I couldn’t have been any older,

Because I stopped doing well at school

The year my mother died.

And she died when I was ten.

It was a bit Mickey Mouse,

That wristwatch.

But it told good time.

Until I lost it.

I took it off in the restroom at school

To wash my hands

And accidentally left it on the sink.

Realizing a moment later,

When I returned to the sink…

It was gone!

It saddened me to think

A fellow schoolmate

Would take it.

It angered my father 

That I lost something valuable.

He said I should learn 

To look after my things better.

“Maybe this’ll teach you,” he added.

But I couldn’t see it his way,

And felt no remorse for the loss.

After all, I didn’t do it on purpose.

My dad remained angry, though,

Which hurt my little heart.

You see, I wasn’t old enough

To understand that his anger

Wasn’t about me 

Or some stupid wristwatch.

It was about the death of my mother,

And the regrets my father bore

Deep in his heart.

He was angry with himself.

That’s why I get angry, usually.

I’m angry at myself.

Perhaps, sometimes, you are the same?

After all, nobody’s perfect!

Listen to me, please.

I think this is important.

Anger is a waste of good zen!

Which even though free and everywhere,

(As I’ve said many times)

Mustn’t be wasted.

And who gives a crap,

If you’ll pardon the expression,

About material things?

My zen reminds me every day;

‘The yearning for possessions

Can only lead to unhappiness.’

Ah, my zen!

Thank you for your loving wisdom!

Thank you for your humanity!

And thank you for helping me 

See a way

To avoid going crazy

In a world

I cannot control…

But must not fear.

Hmmmm,

That last couple of paragraphs

Sounded pretty wise.

Looks like dad was right, after all.

I did learn something.

Ha! Ha! 

I wonder whatever happened 

To that Mickey Mouse watch?

It’s probably somewhere now, 

Still telling the time,

Quietly ticking.

Ticking away the time…

Zen!

"3 Spring Zens"

(27)

“Dinosaur Zen” 

(Previously published as Television Zen July 10, 2015. Edited since.)

I was watching TV last night.

It was a movie about prehistoric times.

Although, it being prehistoric, 

How would they know?

A young woman with big breasts 

In a little costume 

Was fighting a dinosaur.

She had plenty of zen!

Her zen was in her bravery

As she fought the dinosaur.

And in her costume,

Which struggled to contain her.

Just in the nick of time a handsome muscleman 

In another tiny costume came along.

He quickly assessed the situation

And knew just what to do.

His zen was mighty!

His zen was the zen of valor!

He fought and slew the dinosaur.

Then he was kissed by the movie cavewoman 

With the big you-know-whats.

The camera made sure I saw

Them crushing against his manly chest,

Straining to break free from the tiny costume,

While the dinosaur 

In the background writhed and bled.

For him the straining was over.

Then as the music swelled 

Up came the words,

The End.

Hmmm.

I wonder where 

That dinosaur is now?

He had the most zen of all.

(30)

“Zen in Outer Space”

(Previously published Aug 28, 2015. Edited since.)

Is there zen in outer space?

Or is it just the sound 

Of no hands clapping?

It appears empty.

Yet it is fuller than we know.

It is even filled with things we cannot see,

But can only, 

For the time being,

Guess at.

Yes, outer space is 

Beautiful and mysterious.

Like zen is.

And patiently awaits 

Our further discovery.

Like zen does.

But, and here’s the difference,

Unlike outer space,

Zen is everywhere!

Yes! 

There is an endless supply of zen 

In the universe!

But only so much space.

(31)

“Zen in a Canna Leaf”

I saw some zen this morning, 

In sunlight 

Beaming through a canna leaf.

I try to be observant.

Especially in my garden,

Because you never know 

What you might see.

The sunlight is strong around here in the morning.

Strong enough 

To pass through a canna leaf anyway.

To pass through and nourish,

Leaving a trace 

Of beauty behind.

A miracle for my brain 

To ponder,

And my heart to delight in!

Thank you, creator!

For eyes and heart 

That see beauty 

All around me.

Beauty in the simplest things…

The normally unnoticed things…

The unchancy things…

Thank you for that beauty, too!

And for the understanding 

That flows from Zen.